Web-feeding svi ech an ism for printing-machines



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 L. 0. GROWELL. WEB FEEDING MECHANISM FORPRINTING MACHINES. No. 365,051. Patented June 5 1, 1887.

N PETERS, PhMb-Lillwgmphcr. Wnshingmn. D. C.

(No Model.)

4 sheets sheet 2. L. G. OROWELL.

WEB FEEDING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING MACHINES.

No. 365,051. Patented June 21,1887.

N, PETERS. Phauruthagnphen Wasmnmim. v.0

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

L. O. OROWELL.

WEB FEEDING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING MAGHINES.

N0. 365,051. Patented June 21, 1887.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

E L. C. GROWELL.

WEB FEEDING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING MACHINES.

No. 365,051. Patented June 21, 1887.

ism.

LUTHER O. OROXVELL, OF BROOKLYN, NFAV YORK.

WEB-FEEDING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING-MACHINE$.

EPECIPICATI ON forming part of Letters Patent No. 365,051, dated June21, 1887.

Application filed April 6, 1885. Serial No. 161,266. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I Lu'ruuu C. OnowELL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Brooklyn, county of Kings, and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in \Veb-Feeding Mechanismsfor Print-ing-Machines, fully described and represented in the followingspecification and the accompanying drawings,forming a part of the same.

lractical embodiments of this invention are illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, w h erei n Figure 1 represents an end elevationof a rolled web of paper with this improved con trolling and deliveringmechanism applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a plan or top view of the same.Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the drivingpulley and its actuatingclutching mechan- Fig. 4 is a plan view of the same, the shell of thepulley being in part removed to expose the interior. Fig. 5 is atransverse sectional elevation taken on thelinex of Fig. 4. Fig. (i isan end elevation, and Fig. 7 a side elevation, of a modified arrangementof the apparatus. Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional elevation of amodification of the clutch; and Figs. 9 and 10 are views similar to Fig.1, illustrating modifications of the controlling mechanism, hereinafterreferred to.

it is the primary object of this invention to provide a rolled web ofpaper which is to constantly decrease in size as the web composing it isfed to a printing-machine or other apparatus operating upon such web,with a delivering and controlling mechanism, by the operation of whichsaid rolled web shall be moved at a surface speed suited to that of themachine operating upon it during the starting, running, and stopping ofsuch machine.

Another object to be attained by a modified structure is an operationof'the controlling and delivering mechanism, whereby said web shall bedriven at a surface speed suited to that of the machine operating uponit during the starting and stopping of such machine, and which, whensuch machine reaches a high or a running speed, will apply anappropriate controllingfriction to said web.

In all machines in which a rolled web is fed by being unrollcd, andespecially in such operate at high speed, and thus through their rapidconsumption of the web require the roll of web to be of large size andconsequent weight, there is great liability that the web p will break ortear as the machine begins its movement, for the reason that, no matterhow slowly that movement is begun and increased, the means forovercoming the inertia of the roll (being a thin paper web) is too frailto be subjected to the strain imposed, and when the machine attains itshigh or running speed and the roll revolves with great rapidity it has atendency to gather speed and feed off the web too rapidly, thusdestroying the tension necessary to accomplish its smooth and evenfeediug movement; and, further, when the machine stops the speedtheretofore attained by the roll will cause a quantity of the web to beunrollcd, which web is not carried into the machine, but forms a slack,that requires to be taken up. As a means for controlling the rotation ofthe rolled web, and therefore the speed at which it is unrollcd, and atthe same time apply a proper tension to that portion of the webextending from the roll to the devices operating upon it, a frictiondevice has been applied to the shaft of the rolled web 5 but practicallythis friction device requires constant attention and constant change tosecure the best results. It may be also remarked that the application ofa positive driving mechanism to a rolled web (such, forinstance, as thatused in paperdamping mcchines) is impractical when used in connectionwith a web-printing machine for the purpose of feeding and controllingthe movement of the rolled web, for the reason that the speed of suchdriving mechanism if in the least degree greater or less than that ofthe printing-machine, will result in feeding the web too fast or tooslow, causing slack or a breaking strain. This will be apparent when itis considered that the webs are of great length and that theimpression-cylindcrs of the printing machines are covered with ayielding blanket subject to varying degrees of compression to impart thedegree of impression suited to webs of different qualities, and resultsin making the surface speed thereof a varying one,which cannot becompensated for in thepositivo driving mechanism of the rolled web.

The present improvements not only avoid these defects, but provideautomatic means to accomplish a perfect feeding and controlling movementof the roll of web at all times, whether the machine is stopping,starting, or running.

These improvements consist in a moving roller or belt arranged to travelin contact with the roll and follow its periphery as it decreases insize,which roller or belt is provided with a driver that runs said beltat a speed appropriate to that of the machine to which the web is beingfed. It also consists in combining with said roller or belt a means fordisconnecting or throwing out of action its driving means, so that theturning roll may be come the driver,and thus have the friction of theroller or belt applied to it.

It also includes a clutching mechanism operating by centrifugal force tocause the roller or belt to be driven by the'machine to which the web isbeing fed when said machine runs slowly, and to be driven byithe roll,and thus apply friction to it when the said machine runs at aconsiderable speed.

Other features of the invention, including particular combinations andconstructions, are embraced herein, all of the same being fullyhereinafter set forth and claimed.

To enable these improvements to, be readily understood, it may first bestated that, although no machine for operating upon the web itself isshown, it is to be understood that the web 100 from the rolled web 200is led to a machine which performs some operation upon it, and thusconsumes the web.

\Vhile there are many other machines to which this improvedapparatus isapplicable, it is more practically suited/to printing and like machineswhich are rot'ative in character and when running constantly draw uponthe web andcause it to feed progressively on ward.

As will readily be apparent, it becomes a difficult matter when therolled web is large and heavy for the machine operating upon the web,and which imparts to it a positive draft, to overcome the inertia ofsaid roll and properly unwind the web at a speed equal to the surfacemovement of the mechanism to which it is delivered without frequentlytearing or breaking the web, and that, in consequence of the high speedatwhich such machines run, it must follow that there will be a greattendency for the heavy roll of web to gather speed, andthusgive off orunwind its web too rapidly, thereby causing slack, which is injurious;and, further, that when the machine is to be stopped there will also bea tendency in the heavy roll, due to its inertia, to come to a state ofrest more slowly than does the mechanism to which it is delivered, thusacting to feed off a quantity of unused web, and thus produce aconsiderable slack, which, whether taken up by turning the roll backwardor left unrolled, aids in causing a tear or break upon restarting themachine, for the reason that a free portion of the paper moves into themachine before any draft is made upon the roll,whereby the power of themachine is applied to the roll after the web has attained someconsiderable speed. All of these defective operations, though in partprovided against by the friction device commonly applied to the shaft ofthe rolled web, still exist when that appliance is used, and moreespecially do they exist where in more modern printing-machines the webis not only passed between printing mechanisms, but is manipulated byweb transferring and associating apparatuses. Another defect of thefriction-roll appliance spoken of is'that unless constantly 'changedbyhand manipulation it remains a constant power, applying a friction notlessening, as it should, in proportion as the roll decreases in size,but, on the contrary, increasing as the roll so decreases.

This improved delivering and controlling mechanism consists, primarily,ofan endless belt, 20, running over a pulley, 30, and a roller, 40. Thepulley 30 is hung on a shaft, 50, that receives motion through a toothedwheel, 60, from the machine with which this mechanism is connected Theroller or cylinder 40 is hung on an axle turning freely in a framecomposed of arms 80, that swing freely on shaft 50, said arms 70 thuscon stituting a swinging frame that bears the belt 20 constantly incontact with the rolled web 200, no matter what its proportions are orto what size it is red need, as appears by the full and .dotted' linesin Fig. 1. The arms 70 80 are made adjustable longitudinally in boxes 7172, wherein they are secured by set-screws.

As thus far described it will appear that if the pulley 301is fast uponthe shaft 50 and driven by the wheel 60 by gearing connected with aproperly-timed driving-wheel of the machine operating upon the web ofpaper the belt 20 will be moved with a' surface speed equal to that ofthe said machine, and thus, since the belt 20 constantly bears upon therolled web of paper with a friction equal to its own weight, that of theroller 40, and the arms supporting it, a driving action upon theperiphery of said rolled web will be effected, and hence the rolled webwill be turned with a surface speed equal to that of the machine op--erating upon the web, and thereby cause the web to be fed evenly andtruly to that machine; but while this is true theoretically, practicallyit is best to so time the gearing that such feeding of the rolled webshall be very slightly less than thespeed of the said machine, so thatthe belt 20 while operating as a driver shall apply a slight frictionaldrag to the rolled web. The connection between the pulley 30 and theshaft 50 is, however, made through a frictional clutch, the purpose ofwhich is to enable the driving action of the machine im parted throughsaid shaft 50 to be suspended when a high or running speed of themachine is attained, and to be reapplied when such speed is modified.For this purpose any means of operating said clutch may be adopted andthe structure of the clutch may be modified to suit the requirements ofsuch operating means and adapted for cooperation therewith. A means forcoupling said shaft 50 with a driver of the printing or other machineand uncoupling the same may be applied when the pulley is fast upon theshaft to the shaft itself. Thus a frictional clutch operating to setthat shaft in motion would accomplish the result, or any other devicesby which the drivinggears may control the motion of the shaft more orless positively might be applied. In the mechanism as here illustrated,however, a friction-clutch operated by centrifugal force is adopted asone of the best means for acconr plishing this result. This clutch isshown best in Figs. 3, 4, and 5, and consists of shoes 31, adapted tobear against the inner periphery of the pulley 30, which shoes arepivoted atthe ends of lovers 32, that are fulcrumed to arms 33 fast onthe shaft 50. The levers 32 have weight-ed ends 31, which are tied tosaid arms 33 by means of pivoted rods 35, which pass through theweighted ends 34 of the lovers, and are connected to said levers bymeans of a spring, 36, coiled about them to bear at one end upon thebottom of a recess in the weighted ends 34, and at the other uponadjustable nuts screwed onto said rods. Normally these springs have apower (which may be varied by turning said nuts) that will hold thelovers 32 in such a position as to apply the shoes 31 to the peripheryof the pulley 30 with a force sufficient to lock said pulley to theshaft 50 and cause the same to partake of the movements of that shaft.W'hen, however, said shaft rotates the pulley with a speed sufficient tocause centrifugal forceto move said levers in a direction opposite tothe force applied by the springs, and thus compress said springs andmove the levers sufficiently to withdraw the shoes from contact with theperiphery of the pulley, said pulley will not be driven by the shaft,though the parts of the clutch carried by the shaft will continue torotate therewith. (See Fig. 3.) \Vhen the pulley is clutched to theshaft 50, it will of course be moved with the speed of the printing orother machine, and hence drive the belt 20 with a like speed, andtherefore move the rolled web with a like speed, the result of which isthat when the machine slowly starts, this controlling deliveringmechanism, having a like motion, slowly unrolls the web and positivelyfeeds the same into the printing or other machine with a speed equal tothat of said machine, and hence relieves the web from any undue draftupon it, or from receiving any sudden jerk which would result if theprinting or other machine were required to impart motion to the rollthrough the web of paper, and thus overcome the inertia due to theweight of the roll by a draft upon the web itself. 7 hen, however, the

speed of the pulley 30, and consequently that of the web, has reachedthe running speed of the printing-machine, and that speed is greatenough to release the clutch through the centrifugal action of theweighted arms 34, the pulley 30 will no longer be driven directly frointhe printing-machine, but must thereafter be moved by the frictionalcontact of its belt 20 from the rolled web of paper. From this itresults that, since the said rolled web, now propelled by the draft uponitself, is caused to drive the belt 20, such belt will apply a certainamount of friction thereto, and thus operate as a drag sufficient toproduce a friction that will impart to the web a proper tension to causeits even and regular delivery into the printing machine. This friction,which is largely due to the weight of the arms and pulley 40, may beregulated as required by constructing those parts with an appropriateweight, or by providing one or both of said arms with a sliding weightadj ustable to fixed positions thereon.

YVhen it is desired to stop the printing-machine, at which time it isnecessary, as before explained, to prevent the rolled web from runningso far as to unroll any more of the web than is required by the printingor other machine, its belt will be automatically converted into acontrolling device, for the reason that the moment the printing-machinebegins to slow down, and hence the rolled web of paper act to moreslowly drive the pulley 30, the centrifugal force acting upon the levers32 will become modified and the springs 36 will draw the leversgradually to their normal position, and consequently reapplying thefrictionclutch to said pulley 30, which pulley, thereupon taking up themovement of the printingmachine,will again positively drive the rolledweb of paper and slow it down until a stop is effected, thereby causingthe rolled web to come to a state of rest by slowly decreasing rotationin concert with a like movement of the printing machine, thus preventingany undue strain being applied to the web, and preventing the rollthereof from ovcrfeeding and thus producing slack.

By the operation of this automatic appara tus the services of anoperative to attend upon a friction apparatus applied to the shaft ofthe rolled web is avoided. In machines now in use operating upon websfrom two or more rolls of paper not only are the services of twooperatives dispensed with, but the machine is provided with meanscausing its various webs to be perfectly controlled amldriven in unison,and avoids the liability of either breaking or otherwise improperlymoving through the machine, a'feature of great importance when weconsider that a faulty operation of one web necessitates a stoppage ofthe whole machine and that as the webs are increased in number theliability of its rupture or inr proper action is increased.

while in the drawings as thus far referred to the apparatus is shown asarranged at the top of the rolled web, it is desirable as a measure ofcheapness of construction, especial] y where the rolls are located atthe top of the machine, and to enable the rolled webs to be convenientlyand quickly mounted in the machine,

the rolled web, and for this purpose there is shown in Figs. 6 and 7 anarrangement thereof suited to such position. The construction of thiscontrolling and delivering apparatus differs from that just describedonly in the means for causing the vibrating frame to move and maintainthe belt constantly in contact with the periphery ofthe rolled. web. Inthe formerapparatus this is accomplished by its own gravity. In thismodification it is accomplished by means of a weight, 300, the power ofwhich is applied through a lever, 41, fast upon a shaft, 51, by aset-screw, which shaft has an arm, 47, that is connected by a link, 42,pivoted to a bar, 43, that is at- I tached to the rear of the levers 7O80. As is obvious, this weight 300 will constantly apply a power to saidarms,and through them cause the belt 20 to constantly follow theperiphery of the roll 200 as the latter decreases in size. It may now beobserved that this same structure can be applied to the apparatus shownin Figs. 1 to 5, the only thing necessary being to apply the power ofthe weight through a cordand-pulley attachment connected with the lever41, or by a suitable arrangement of levers; and, again, if it be desiredthat the frictional pressure of the belt 20 shall be adjustable, thatmay be accomplished by varying the position of the weight on the lever.

It will be apparent that the separation of the clutch from thedriving-pulley may be regulated with respect to the speed of the machineby adjusting the power of the springs 36 on the rods 35, so that thevelocity of the shaft 50, required to withdraw the shoes 31 from theperiphery of the pulley 30, may be predetermined to suit therequirements of the machine operating upon the web.

It will further be observed that when the rolled web is large andrequires the greatest friction a larger part of the belt 20 bears uponits surface than is the case when the roll is small and requires a lessdegree of friction,the size of the roll and its frictional requirementsbeing thus in a degree adjusted by its decreasing size. This frictionalpressure may, however, be a constantly-changing quantity if the weightof thelever ll is arranged to move more and more away from the fulcrumas the roll decreases. It is, however, obvious that a simple frictionmay be constantly applied be-' tween the shaft 50 and the belt-pulley 30without departing fromthe features of this invention, the friction beingsuch that under ordinary circumstances it will be sufficient to controlthe movement of the web,but will allow the pulley to slip before thedifference in speed between the pulley and the printing-machine willcause a breaking strain upon the web. This may be accomplished in thedevice illustrated by securing the levers 32 in a fixed position, so asto apply the proper degree of friction between their shoes 31 and thepulley 30.

InFig. 8 I have illustrated a mode of connecting the weighted leverarmstogether, so

that when one moves the other will also move. This arrangement preventsany improper operation which might result from the action of gravity.This is accomplished by connecting the weighted end of one lever to theend of the other leverby spring seated rods 35, whereby any movement ofone lever will be transmitted to the other.

If a laterally-running clutch is arranged to slide on the shaft 50, itis obvious that a single spring may be used inconnection with two ormore weighted toggle-levers, having a bearing at one end against acollar on the shaft and attached at the other to the sliding part of theclutch. the spring acting to apply the clutch, as before explained, andthe weighted levers to move outwardly by centrifugal force in the mannerof a governor, to cause. the unclutching action.

adopted-as, for instance, by a belt, 80, ex-

tending from said pulley over a similar pulley, 81, secured on the endofthe shaft carrying the roller 40, as in Fig. 9, or by means of thegearing shown in Fig. 10,in which case the pulleys 30 and 81. aresubstituted by gears 30 and 81, similarly mounted, and connected byintermediates 82, mounted on the side of one of arms 70, as will bereadily understood; and while an endless moving belt enters specificallyas an element in the claims, it is to be understood that in the sense inwhich it is used it is intended to be an equivalent for the roll heredescribed.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the essential characteristic ofthis invention is the 1. In a-webcontroiling device, the combination,with a continuously-moving endless belt adapted to rest frictionallyupon arolled web, of means, substantially as described, for actuatingsaid belt to control the unwinding speed of said rolled web,substantially as dc scribed.

2. In a' web-controlling device, the combination, with an endless beltadapted to rest frictionally upon a rolled web, of. means, substantiallyas described, for actuating the belt, whereby the rolled web at times isdriven by said belt, and vice versa, to regulate the un winding speed ofthe rolled web, substantially as described.

3. In a web-controlling device, the combination, with an endless movingbelt adapted to rest frictionally upon a rolled web to control itsunwinding speed, of a driver for actuating the same, and means,substantially as described, operating automatically to put the driverout of action, substantially as described.

4. In a web-controlling device, the combination, with an endless movingbelt suitably mounted upon rollers and adapted to rest frietionally upona rolled web to control its unwinding speed, of a driven shaft, uponwhich one of said rollers is mounted for actuating the belt, and means,substantially as described, operating automatically to put the drivenshaft out of action, substantially as described.

5. In a web'controlling device, the combination, with an endless movingbelt carried by a roller hung in a swinging frame and mounted so as torest frictionally upon a rolled web to control its unwinding speed, ofadriver for actuating the same, and means, substantially as described,operating automatically to put the driver out of action, substantiallyas described.

6. In a webcontrolling device, the combination, with an endless beltcarried by a roller hung in a longitudinally-adjustable frame andmounted so as to rest frictionally upon a rolled web to control itsunwinding speed, of a driver, and connections between it and the beltfor actuating thelatter, substantially as described.

7. In a web-controlling device, the combination, with an endless movingbelt carried by a roller hung in a swinging frame and mounted so as torest frietionally upon a rolled web to control its unwinding speed, of adriver, and connect-ions between it and the belt for actuating thelatter, and a weighted lever for moving said frame to hold the belt incontact with the rolled web, substantially as described.

8. In a web-controlling device, the combination, with a traveling beltmounted so as to rest frictionally upon a rolled web to control itsunwinding speed, of a driver, and connections between it and the belt,substantially as described, to drive the belt or be driven thereby,substantially as described.

9. In a web-controlling device, the combination, with an endlesstraveling belt resting upon a rolled web, of a driver for moving saidbelt, and a clutch interposed between said belt and the driver,substantially as described.

10. The combination, with an endless traveling belt mounted so as tobear upon a rolled web, of a pulley for driving said belt, and a clutchinterposed between said pulley or its shaft and the driver,substantially as described.

11. The combination, with an endless moving belt held continuously incontact with a rolled web, of a pulley for driving the belt and afriction-clutch for connecting said pulley with the shaft of the driver,constructed to operate by centrifugal force to unelutch said pulleyaccording to the speed attained, sub stantially as described.

12. The combination,with the belt 20, hung in a moving frame so as torest upon a rolled web, of a driving-pulley, as 30, driving-shaft 50,and a clutch interposed between said shaft and pulley, substantially asdescribed.

13. The combination,with the belt 20, hung in a moving-frame, of adriving-pulley, as 30, driving-shaft 50, a clutch interposed betweensaid shaft and pulley, and a weighted lever, as 11, for moving saidswinging frame and holding the belt in contact with a rolled web,substantially as described.

14. The combination, with a friction-clutch consisting of pivotedswinging levers 32, carrying at one end a brake-shoe, 31, and havingtheir opposite ends weighted, of a drivingpulley, as 30, the belt 20,hung in a moving frame and arranged to run in contact with a rolled web,and a driving-shaft, 50, substantiall y as described.

15. The combination, with a friction-clutch consisting of pivoted levers32, each carrying a friction-shoe, 31, at one end and having theiropposite ends weighted, and provided with tie-rods 35 and springs 36, ofa driving pulley, 30, the belt 20, hung in a moving frame and arrangedto run in contact with a rolled web, and a driving-shaft, 50, substantially as described.

16. The combination, with a friction-clutch consisting of pivoted levers32, each carrying a friction-shoe, 31, at one end and having theiropposite ends weighted, and provided with tie-rods 35 and springs 36,and means for adjusting the power of said springs, of a driving-pulley,as 30, the belt 20, hung in a 1noving frame and arranged to run incontact with arolled web, and a driving-shaft, 50, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing wit nesses.

LUTHER C. OROWELL.

Witnesses:

T. H. PALMER, Gno. H. Grammar.

